09 August 2015

Pulau Perhentian Snorkeling Day Trip

I have been to a few places before, and appreciate my experience at each of them. But Perhentian Island is something special. It is the only place I wanted to go over and over again after every trip.

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Disclaimer:
To maintain the originality, I did nothing with the exposure or color composition of the pictures. Everything published is as what I captured from my camera. I just cropped and changed the size, so it is easier and faster to be uploaded into blogger.

Not long ago, my campus best friend Nadia and I planned a snorkeling trip to Pulau Perhentian. Nadia is someone who loves the sea as much as I do... so I recommend her to visit Pulau Perhentian since my experience here was good and the island is undeniably beautiful.

Day passed, finally Nadia arrived Tanah Merah my hometown, all way from KL. She stayed in my house and the next morning we drove to Kuala Besut Jetty for about 45 minutes. For safety I park the car in a gated parking for RM10/day fee.

From Kuala Besut Jetty we took Snorkeling Day Trip for RM110/person. Its ok to go and find snorkeling package from the island later, but we were afraid that snorkeling trips might be full since its school holidays. Plus, we have just one day in the island that nobody would risk to loose anything. So we took the package which included return boat from jetty to island and full day snorkeling trip.

The speedboat depart at 9 am. Before going we have to pay for the Marine Park Conservation Fee for RM5 each person.

The boat ride was crazy. The ocean is so wide - like a moving carpet. I lost my thought enjoying the endless ocean... when suddenly the motor hit something and the boat stop. All of us stranded for like 5 minutes until another boat came and we were moved, right at the middle of the ocean.

The journey continued and we arrived at Coral Bay Jetty, Pulau Perhentian Kecil around 9.50 am. Just tell the boat man the name of your chalet and he will stop at the nearest jetty. We stopped here since we need to find Encik Rahmat and Encik Kasman, our snorkeling guide.

Here's Coral Bay. The last time I came in 2012 on a family trip and we stayed here. Not much has changed though. The water is crystal clear as ever. Yay!

En Rahmat (or later on we called Abe Mat), is somewhere at Sunset Shop. He gave us each a goggle mask, safety jacket and fin.

The first time we met Abe Mat, he's a bit like a discipline teacher. Strict and steady. (He's at the back of the picture wearing blue and army-print bandana). But the thing is, he's very cool. Abe Mat and En Kasman guide us throughout the trip very well. The kid in the picture is his son, who wanted to go along and climbed into the boat by himself.

Leaving Coral Bay.

This time Nadia and I were the only guest on Abe Mat's boat, minus himself, his kid and another snorkeling guide who's having an underwater cam on his hand. We went to Fisherman Village to fetch a big family going on the same snorkeling trip with us. Well, basically its me and Nadia who joined them.

Later at Fisherman Village jetty, our guides did some arrangements. We were told to move into En. Kasman boat, but both boats went to the snorkeling checkpoint together.

Perhentian Island is home to plenty of snorkeling and diving spots. In fact I think we can snorkel even anywhere in Perhentian. Clear water. Lots of fish.

But if we take Full Day Snorkeling Trip, usually we'll be taken to 5 different checkpoint which is Coral Point, Turtle Point, Shark Point, Lighthouse and Romantic Beach.

1) Coral Point

Coral Point, if I am not mistaken is in Perhentian Besar. Before taken to the deep ocean, we we brought to a small beach so the kids could practice with the snorkeling equipment and feel confident when they float in the water. Abe Mat and En. Kasman guided us on safety and how to use the equipment. I tried to apply the fin here, but I don't feel comfortable having my feet inside it when I snorkel, I think it's because I don't know how to swim. So I just took the fin off.

After 30 minutes or so. We were taken to Coral Point where beautiful coral of all shape lies. Coral Point is 5 to 6 meters deep, there were plenty of coral at the bottom of the sea, the round ones- big and small, the flower shaped, flat-shaped, yellow-striped fish, black fish and the swordfish (ikan todak). The most beautiful fish spotted was the rainbow-colored fish. It's body is yellow-greenish while the fin is purple and blue colored.

2) Tutle Point

Around 11.50 am we were taken to Turtle Point, somewhere near Teluk Pauh at Perhentian Besar. At first we saw people snorkel in a straight row, which we found quite funny I mean, what on earth they're doing? Then we realised that they were actually catching sight of a turtle. Luckily, the turtle swims towards our bot, closer to the surface.

......AND THAT WAS THE BIGGEST LIVE TURTLE I HAD EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. Its body is shimmering yellow, might be the reflection of the sunshine and the clear blue ocean. The moment it appeared, everyone on the boat clapped their hands in joy. Hahahaahah.

The turtle must be like, i was struggling to have some air and you think this is some kind of circus show huh?

Then we got out of the boat to snorkel here. There's no coral here at all. There's just fishes. Not long after, En Kasman called us and made a sign to follow him. He said there's another turtle. Yes, there was. I could see him at the bottom of the sea, not moving. But this one is black turtle. Must be different kind of species.

Next, we were taken to the Fisherman Village's Jetty. It was Friday so every Muslim men will have to perform Friday's prayer.

Personally I think that this kind of hijab (syria of lycra material) is the best hijab to wear when you snorkel. It sticks well to our head and we dont have to adjust anything when we put on the goggle mask. Its very light, too.

We have our light lunch at a cafe near the jetty. It served drinks and simple foods like fried banana and keropok lekor. I ordered RM3 keropok lekor and we got a full plate of it.

A wefie would not kill, right? My friend Nadia is an iron lady, she would go here and there doing stuffs, so when she finally came so we could spend time together, its a pure bless. The last time I met her was... during our convocation in 2012.

Beautiful calming scenery by Fisherman Village beach.

Beautiful.

I did not edit this photo at all. Where on earth could we find a beautiful mosque by the beautiful blue sea like this? Imagine a small island without even road connection, would have a mosque as big and grand like this.

We walked further to the primary school. I am OK if were given chance to work here. I mean, village life is always the best. I could read books by the beach every evening, went snorkeling every weekend till I get tanned and maybe I could learn how to dive. What a heaven!

This is where the villagers lives.

Going home after the Friday prayer's.

The weather is very hot. Thus, make good pictures. Look at the color.

Majority of villagers here is Muslim, in fact Islam is the official religion in Malaysia. Thus please be respectful to the locals. Cover your skin and be modest.

I believe that anyone regardless their age, have the inner-youth-side in them hehe

All of us gathered back at the jetty around 2.30 pm, so we could continue the snorkeling trip.

3) Shark Point

The third checkpoint is the shark point, sounds scary? No? I don't know exactly the place is. But it is somewhere with the large rocks that looks as if they were floating on the water. I don't believe that we could see even a shark, I thought it was just a myth. Maybe... it's because I never seen a live shark in my life. haha.

Right after we get inside the water, we could see that the corals was nothing fancy, its just the branch-shape type, scattered at the floor of the ocean. Which at first, I found it very boring and creepy. I mean if anyone sink and fall into the coral, it must be really hurt.

En Kasman, who's guiding a young boy with him (to see the shark) guide us to go deeper into the bay surrounded by rocks. The view here is different. There is no more branch-shaped corals, but hemisphere, round, and flat shaped corals instead. Those rocks is another matter. On the surface it looks like simple, usual boring rocks. But deep down under, the rock is eroded, forming beautiful carved-like-surface that words could not describe.

There are small beautiful fishes swimming around the corals sticking to the walls of the stone. At the bottom of the rocks, there is a dark hole, something like a small cave where the fishes swimming in and out. At some point you can see the sun rays penetrating into the ocean floor and it was just magnificent.

Not long after that, I saw it. The shark. It appeared, swimming at the bottom of the ocean floor (this species prefer shallow water) It is grey-colored, around 1.3 meter in length and have black color on its fin. Its black tip reef shark. At that moment I cant believe that I just saw a shark, and we were swimming in the same sea. Like wow, thank God I am still alive right now to write this.

The nearest it could be from me was when it swim just 3 meters below my body, that I could see the shark clearly. There were 2 smaller fish on both side of his body, following him. I guess this is what I learnt during Biology class about symbiotic relationship. Nadia and I both enjoying the sight, we were mesmerized and lost in another kind of world.

Not long after that, I spotted 2 sharks swimming nearby at one time. And when I turn back, I saw another one. So there's 3 all together. They kinda... swimming in circular around us. OMG. We get up for air and realized that its just us. Others are quite a distance away. We looked at each other and was like, lets go closer to everyone else!!! Hahahha. But don't worry, they're all at the ocean floor while we were up at the surface. Hopefully the sharks didn't go crazy and get up here.

(credit picture: google)

This is the exact thing that I saw. Black tip shark and the branch-shaped creepy coral.

Shark point is too interesting that I feel like I don't want to stop snorkeling here. But still... we need to move to the next checkpoint... which is, the lighthouse.

4) The Lighthouse

This is the fourth checkpoint, the lighthouse at the middle of the ocean. I was wondering what's so special about this lighthouse? That you could jump off it?

There are groups of small fishes here, the one that moves in a direction. When you blocked their way they wouldn't harm you, they'll be scattered and get into their group again. Whereas under the lighthouse, there's another group of small fishes, swimming in spiral formation between the pillars. The sight is just magical.

But we're not long here. En Kasman guided us to get back to the boat, he said the current is quite strong. He handed Nadia a stick, so she could held onto it (while I was holding to Nadia's other hand) and he pulled us to the boat. The good thing about our guide Abe Mat and En Kasman is that, they care for their guests' safety. They just not transported us from point A to point B, but they snorkel with us, so they could show where's the best thing, what we should avoid and everything. Recommended! ^_^

5) Romantic Beach

The last snorkeling point is in Romantic Beach, a secluded beautiful white beach in Perhentian Kecil. The water is very clear yet shallow, I guess around 2 - 3 meters deep. There's not much corals here, but you can see orange nemo fish, sticky black sea cucumbers and a few round yellow corals.

At one time I misjudged and I thought the yellow coral is soft as jellyfish or something. Hence I 'accidentally' touched it with my bare feet to feel it - causing my middle toe to cut and bleed. The coral is actually badass sharp! Obviously. Thank god I brought some plaster with me even though I had to use 2 strips to stop the bleeding. So the lesson is, be careful when your feet is down there, you might randomly hit a coral.

So most of the time after the incident, I stayed in this position.

We realized that we still have some bread with us so we finished them all by feeding the fish. I intentionally hold the bread in front of my google, so the colorful fish would come very close to me. I can see them swimming in front of my goggle! It feels really good.

The trip ends at 5 pm, where we were taken to the main jetty in Coral Bay. We give our gratitude to En Kasman our guide and changed to another boat that brought us (and other day-trip guests) to mainland. Aaaaa. I wish we could have more time to spend here.

I am glad that Nadia is very satisfied with the trip, and she was planning to bring her mother here. We get to the parking area, paid the fee and leave Kuala Besut. We stop at a big mosque somewhere nearby to clean ourselves and perform prayers.

And... stop again at this traditional wooden-built mosque to perform Maghrib prayer...

...and then having our last dine together (RM19 for all this, quite cheap) before I send Nadia off to Tanah Merah bus terminal to catch her bus to Kuala Lumpur.

Perhentian Island surely brings good memories to both of us, and I would say that I'll come back here - soon!